Beer Vending Machines Set To Debut This Year

Intelligent Product Solutions (IPS), a product design and development firm, partnered with ZX Ventures, a division of AB InBev, to design and develop an Internet connected beer vending machine that dispenses cans of cold beer and accepts major credit cards and mobile wallets.

Called BeerBox, ZX Ventures plans to roll out these first-of-a-kind connected machines later this year at concert and sports venues.

The BeerBox dispenses opened cans of chilled beer. Future versions of the machine will enable customers to select their beer of choice using a touchscreen interface.

The BeerBox has cellular, Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity for payment processing, transaction reporting and maintenance functions, and GPS to provide machine locations.

The BeerBox makes it more convenient to purchase beer and can help concessioners improve sales.

The first prototypes were introduced last summer when ZX Ventures displayed them at music festivals.